Skylar Crumpler, 14, left, and Kylie Crumpler, 13, of Stuart, have a “bridge walk” race on Stuart Beach on Monday, May 4, 2020.(Amy Beth Bennett) Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties aren’t included in Gov. Ron DeSantis’ order to reopen some retailers, restaurants and state parks, though one state park in Broward was allowed to reopen. Under Phase 1 reopening, social distancing requirements and capacity restrictions are in place. What remains closed statewide, though, are salons, barbers, spas and other personal care businesses, with DeSantis not giving a clear timetable for those operations to reopen. Some South Floridians, still under shutdown orders, made their way to the closest neighbor that reopened Monday — Martin County, which borders Palm Beach County to the north. The beach in Stuart had a few hundred people seeking sand and surf. College-aged sunbathers, young families and some retired snowbirds from New York who extended their stay in Florida are sought sunshine. A few cars driving in Martin County near the beaches Monday bore license plates that said “Palm Beach County” and a few more had license plate frames from car dealerships in Palm Beach and Broward. A concession stand at a Jensen Beach boardwalk had a family of about six people in line with a hand sanitizer bottle for beach-goers. Jim Glover, 65, of Palm City, co-owns Cafe Boonma, a Thai restaurant in Stuart that opened in December. The restaurant closed in the middle of March but has been offering take-out and curbside ordering. “We were fortunate enough to get three good months of business in and build a good following,” Glover said Monday, just hours after reopening for sit-down service. The restaurant is operating at 25% capacity and only serving people outdoors, with tables spaces six feet apart. Glover and Josephine Maira, who […]
